Rabi Lamichhane’s detention hearing continues at Kaski District Court

KATHMANDU: The detention hearing for Rabi Lamichhane, President of the Rastriya Swatantra Party (RSP) and former Home Minister, along with six other defendants in the Suryadarshan Savings Cooperative embezzlement case, has been ongoing at the Kaski District Court since last Tuesday.

On Friday, defense arguments began, with legal representatives for Lamichhane presenting their case today, according to court registrar Rajan Khanal.

Advocate Sushil Kumar Pant represented Lamichhane during the session. Previously, legal representatives for co-defendants Lila Pachai and Chhabilal Joshi presented their arguments.

The defense phase follows arguments made by government attorneys and lawyers representing victims of the cooperative fraud.

The hearings, led by District Judge Nitij Rai, began immediately after statements from the accused were recorded last Tuesday.

District Attorney Kamala Kafle stated that after the defense arguments conclude, government lawyers will provide counter-arguments.

The court will then decide whether to detain the defendants for further investigation or release them on bail while proceedings continue.

Lamichhane and others, including former DIG Chhabilal Joshi, Lila Pachaai, Krishna Bahadur Gurung, and Ram Bahadur Khanal, are facing allegations of embezzlement in the cooperative case.

On Dec 22, the District Government Attorney’s Office filed charges against 44 individuals, including Lamichhane, accusing them of misappropriating cooperative funds.

Lamichhane is also facing additional charges of organized crime and money laundering.

In total, 63 individuals have been charged at the Kaski District Court in connection with the Suryadarshan Cooperative fraud.

Of these, 19, including Lamichhane, are accused of organized crime, while Lamichhane, Khanal, Joshi, and Pachaai face charges of money laundering.

Lamichhane was arrested on Oct 18 in Kathmandu for his alleged involvement in the embezzlement.

Other accused individuals have also been charged with varying degrees of restitution and punishment demands based on their roles in the case.